This invention relates to dispensing consumable liquids, and more particularly to bottles and containers for dispensing such liquids in bar and restaurant service, and methods of their manufacture and use.
Speed and convenience are very important considerations for bar service, and bartenders typically have at their disposal a rack behind the bar for holding frequently used alcoholic spirits and mixes. Appropriately, this rack is called a xe2x80x9cspeed rackxe2x80x9d, and is sized to accept standard size alcoholic bottles 14. FIG. 1 shows a speed rack 10 mounted behind a bar 12 and stocked with several alcoholic bottles 14 and washable plastic container bottles 16 for convenient repetitive access. For fruit juices and other perishable consumables, some ice wells 18 feature a top having openings for holding juice containers 20 on ice. So that speed rack bottles need not be reopened repetitively, and to aid in pouring controlled amounts, both alcoholic bottles 14 and washable plastic bottles 16 are equipped with vented pour spouts. In the case of the reusable plastic containers 16, the pour spouts typically have a molded plastic neck portion 22 that accepts a color-coded spout tip portion 24. Their neck portions 22 (see also FIG. 3) unscrew from the bodies 26 of the containers for filling and cleaning. Such empty, reusable speed rack containers 16 are available from Carlisle FoodService Products, in Oklahoma City, Okla., for example, and are available with bodies of several diameters and lengths, all designed to accept a common pour spout neck with an 89-400 SPI (Society of Plastics Industry) thread. Containers 16 are generally employed for dispensing mixes and other beverages that are either mixed on site or purchased in retail or bulk form, such as canned or bottled fruit juices.
Improvements in speed, convenience and sanitation in dispensing beverages at bar service facilities are always needed, as well as are reductions in cost and waste.
The invention features a bottle for holding consumable liquids for commercial food service (e.g., bar service). According to one aspect of the invention, the bottle has a body that defines an inner cavity and has a neck extending to an opening. The neck of the bottle defines a first thread adapted to receive a cap to seal the cavity. The bottle also defines a second thread, of a diameter larger than the first thread, adapted to mate with a thread of a threaded pour spout to retain the pour spout on the bottle for serving liquids from the bottle cavity.
In some embodiments, the bottle is combined with a consumable liquid disposed within the cavity, and a cap releasably retained to cover the opening to seal the liquid within the bottle. In some cases the consumable liquid is perishable, in which cases the bottle is preferably heat-sealed with the perishable liquid within the cavity. The perishable liquid may comprise a fruit juice or a drink mix, for example. For some perishable liquids, a removable foil seal is provided across the opening of the bottle beneath the cap, to seal the liquid within the bottle.
Various sealing means are featured in various embodiments. These include a rib extending about the periphery of the neck of the bottle and adapted to engage an inner surface of the pour spout to form a seal between the bottle and pour spout with the pour spout mounted on the bottle; a rib extending outward from an end face of the bottle from which the neck of the bottle extends, the rib adapted to engage an inner face of the pour spout to form a seal between the bottle and pour spout with the pour spout mounted on the bottle; a recess defined within an end face of the bottle from which the neck of the bottle extends, for accommodating a rib extending from an inner face of the pour spout; a gasket seal affixed to an end face of the bottle from which the neck of the bottle extends, the gasket seal adapted to engage an inner face of the pour spout to form a seal between the bottle and pour spout with the pour spout mounted on the bottle; and an end face from which the neck of the bottle extends and that tapers outwardly in its outer region to engage and seal against an inner face of the pour spout.
For some preferred applications, the second thread is of a nominal 89-millimeter diameter to fit a standard speed rack pour spout. The first thread is preferably of a nominal diameter of between about 15 and 65 millimeters, more preferably between about 24 and 53 millimeters, and most preferably either about 38 or 43 millimeters.
The bottle is preferably sized to fit within a bar service speed rack. For example, some preferred embodiments of the bottle have a major outer dimension (e.g., a base diameter) of less than about 4.25 inches (108 millimeters).
The bottle is preferably formed of thermoplastic resin and adapted to be disposed after use. The resin of the bottle may be selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terpthalate, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, ethylene vinyl alcohol, and their copolymers and co-extrusions. One material presently preferred for many applications is polyethylene terpthalate. Another presently preferred material is a co-extrusion of polypropylene and ethylene vinyl alcohol.
According to another aspect of the invention, a container of consumable and perishable liquids for commercial food service or retail sale has a body defining an inner cavity and a large diameter opening sealed across with a removable seal, and a quantity of consumable and perishable liquid heat-sealed within the cavity. The large diameter opening of the container has an 89-millimeter nominal diameter thread adapted to mate directly with a corresponding thread of a standard bar service pour spout, for serving the liquid in multiple quantities directly from the container.
According to a third aspect of the invention, a method of forming a disposable bottle for holding consumable liquid is provided. The method comprises the steps of injection-molding from thermoplastic resin a preform in the form of a tube sealed at one end and having molded threads about its other end; placing the molded preform in a mold, with the sealed end of the preform extending through an opening into a cavity of the mold, the cavity shaped to form outer surfaces of the bottle and a large diameter thread on the outer surface of the bottle at an end of the bottle near the opening; clamping the threaded end of the preform in the opening to seal the cavity; heating the preform tube; and blowing air into the heated preform tube through its threaded end to cause the tube to expand and fill the mold cavity to form the bottle with the large diameter thread. The steps of clamping and heating, for instance, can be performed in any order in accordance with specific process parameters.
In some instances the step of injection-molding forms a rib extending about the tube preform near its threaded end, the rib adapted to locate the preform in the opening of the mold during the placing step, and to form a seal against an inner surface of a pour spout during use of the bottle to dispense consumable liquids.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a method of distributing consumable liquids is provided. The method comprises distributing to bar service providers filled bottles according to the first aspect of the invention, and informing the bar service providers that the second thread of the bottles is useful for retaining a pour spout on the bottle during use.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, a method of serving drinks is provided. The method comprises the steps of removing the cap from a filled bottle according to the first aspect of the invention; attaching a pour spout to the bottle at its second thread; and tilting the bottle to pour an amount of the consumable liquid from the bottle into a glass.
The invention provides a useful container construction for dispensing consumable liquid contents, with an integral thread that can be designed to mate directly with a thread of a standard bar service pour spout, thus enabling the end user of the container (e.g., a bartender) to construct a drink dispenser by simply opening the container (e.g., by removing a threaded bottle cap and/or by removing a foil seal) and then threading a standard, commercially available pour spout directly onto the integral thread. The container and its integral thread are readily constructed from thermoplastic resin, such as by the injection/blow molding process we describe, such that the empty container may be simply discarded or recycled after removing the pour spout for another use. All of these characteristics can combine to provide a food service provider with a ready-made, easily-replaceable, disposable drink package adaptable to standard bar service equipment and yet also of a form acceptable for retail package sale (thereby lowering unit production costs through high volume manufacture).
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.